[Pkumarblore]

Hi, as a past owner(for 5 years and 125000kms) of XUV5OO, I can certainly tell you that the SUV is definitely VFM. The 2.2 mHawk is a gem of an engine, the space inside is great (especially the middle row seating), and the SUV feels safe and robust. It is very abuse friendly. I drove it on all kinds of bad roads and ditches without breaking anything. The sole complaint I had was its stiff ride at slow speeds. Dint bother much about it since 90% of my drive was on highways. So the XUV is a very capable SUV and surely stands above the pseudo SUV's flooding the market.
But in 2021 I wouldn't buy it when there is a new generation(XUV5OO/7OO) waiting to hit the market. And NO AT - Ruled Out, since your better half also wants to drive. Trust me the XUV MT is notchy. Since you plan to keep your car for a long period, I would recommend you to buy the latest generation with AT(be it any brand). Since you mentioned that you prefer torquey diesel motors, your choices may be limited.

[JLohchab]

Mod Note : Please quote ONLY the relevant bits of a post. Quoting a full, long post inconveniences our mobile readers.

Thanks!


I have personally kept and driven XUV 500, thrice since the launch. And if I have to explain the vehicle in 2 words, I would choose to use Mile-Muncher & Amazing Road Presence.
Many of the other qualities like ride comfort, aggressive stance, being spacious, reliable motor and being value for money are already discussed, I would simply say that this vehicle is very inviting to make you take longer trips and explore non-tarmac. Being a monocoque, it is not as sturdy as a Body-on-frame but its differentiatingly capable than the competition. So, for any such consideration set as you have, it would be a wise decision rather than what your question suggests

Originally Posted by chaitanyapramod

Some backstory:
I had driven Hyundai Grand i10 Asta for about a year at ~1.5k km/month usage, had to get rid of it in 2016 due to concern about structural integrity after an incident (perhaps another post).

[IP_Man]

If I were you, I would have purchased neither XUV nor Seltos, Creta (black colour) diesel automatic would be my first preference.

2017, I took multiple test drive of XUV. I somehow not convinced long jerky travel of clutch (no offence to XUV owners). IMO, Mahindra was awkward integrating transverse Mhawk to the XUV, later faced problems in clutch and flywheel.

If your major commute is within the city like Banglore then going for automatic is no brainer.

[VKumar]

Even if he has grown old and docile, a Tiger still remains a Tiger. And, even if it can go faster like a Greyhound, tied in a golden chain, is younger with a athletic stance - the dog still remains the dog. This thread is the comparison of the two, an old and docile Tiger, with well, whatever you can think of!

Comparing the XUV5OO to Creta or Seltos, I can't sum it up better. It is indeed an older car, interior fit and finish also is better in Creta/Seltos, but here the question is "Getting what you pay for". If product A offers one attribute, and product B offers other attribute; and both are coming for the same price - that means both have some compromises built in them in some some area other than their USP. Just look at that 2.2l motor, it defies all the logic of power to weight, torque to weight, gear ratios etc - it simply knows one thing, when the foot goes down, the SUV needs to go, and it goes. No matter what is there on paper, in the real world, it beats blue and brown the competitors which have better ratios on the paper.

If I have to drive from Bengaluru to Goa, I would prefer the XUV5OO for the better comfort and brilliant performance. Comfort is a relative term, but the size of seatbase, space on offer, legroom and headroom etc are not relative - they are a simple measurement, and measurements do matter.

Instead of Creta or Seltos, I would any day prefer the Alcazar or maybe Hector (But I carry strong anti-China sentiment too). What the XUV5OO offers as a package is unbeatable by any of these pseudo SUVs, hence they play their 'features' and 'contemporary' card.

I agree that XUV has it's shortcomings, but if we highlight them - we shall be highlighting the benefits it comes with too. Every person has a different requirement. When I travel alone, I like to travel in a powerful hatchback, especially when I drive in hills. But if it's even 3 people going for a long haul, we look for a 7 seat car, because of the flexibility it offers. A fixed backrest of the rear bench is a fixed backrest, and a reclining unit is reclining - there is no point of discussion over such small things which adds to the comfort by a decent factor.

When we got to know that 2.8 Crysta will be discontinued, we quickly grabbed one in October 2019, same way, another Polo 1.5 TDi for my village house was taken just a few month before it got discontinued. And we are damn happy with both the purchases, happy to have the last ones of a breed that will hardly be seen again, proper VFM cars built to deliver smiles for miles on the roads. Same applies to the outgoing 5OO, once it's gone out of dealership floors, we will be left only with the 20 lac cars with 1.5l diesel motors!

[1:1]

Originally Posted by chaitanyapramod

however don't want jerkily-shifting AMTs or rubber-banding CVTs. Would go for Torque Converter which gets high reliability rating in T-BHP.

I think this quote is a natural bias and not actual driving experience. Going by my own experience of Ignis AMT and there is no jerkily shifting even while driving even on a very demanding hilly road (not saying this because I am used to the driving style because I also own D AT Seltos for comparison).

New age CVT perform way better than what they are perceived as rubber effect. Have a look at Autocar India had a drag Race between Sonnet DCT and Magnite CVT where the CVT wins the race.

Would suggest to open up to the new age automatics may be you will find perfect car for your use.

[jithin23]

XUV500 is a great Choice and abuse friendly. I have used my relative's W6 2014 version extensively before we sold it at 1.5Lakh kms due to personal reasons. The engine has enough performance if maintained properly. However if you compare from the first iteration to the present one, not much has changed at all in the interiors apart from ice blue lighting and touchscreen for W6/W7 variants. MT gearshifts feel like you're driving a truck but once you hit the turbo band, this machine is a different character altogether. AT is also competent but I felt that there are slight jerks in gearshifts in AT.

Plus there will be a few visits to the service center with the XUV for minor stuff and as the vehicle gets older, expect a bill of 14-15k per 10k km service.

Since you had mentioned that you will keep your cars for as long as possible try going in for maximum safety features or at least W9 MT as it comes with TPMS, auto fold mirrors, ESP, Hill hold, Hill descent and traction control, Alloys and sunroof. Plus if you prefer function over form, XUV 500 might make more sense because XUV700 will definitely be priced a cool 3-5 lakh above XUV500 unless Mahindra prices it aggressively.

Also you can consider Innova Crysta for reliability and cheap spares as well as a torquey engine.

If you're open to used cars, you do get a lot of less run XUV500's for 15 lakhs(W10 or W10 AWD).

If size is a concern for you, you can check the new Selots or Creta or VW T-Roc(petrol). Also Skoda Kushaq is just round the corner. Also check the EcoSport S diesel, it might be apt for a family of 2 and maintenance is very less.

[Aakash118]

I think you should not go for an outgoing car unless you absolutely love it and want nothing else. So in one line, you should skip the XUV and look for other options. If size is a concern, go for Harrier or Compass. If size doesn’t matter and all you want is a big torquey diesel along with great road presence, go for the Thar.

[AZT]

If you have the budget, wait for the 700. You don't want to regret post seeing the car launch. Intro prices are probably the best time to buy these days so you may actually get a decent deal.

[diablo_rojo]

Having extensively used the XUV500 w7 MT since July of 2018, my advice for you will be to-


1- Go for XUV500 AT - the MT is quite tiring to drive.
2- Or go for MG Hector Diesel - Hector provides the kind of big-car experience which a Seltos or a Creta lacks, plus the gizmos and bells and whistles according the trim and price of choice.

The XUV is very competent, VFM and well rounded package for the buck, but the advancement of the tech and features in the segment over the last 2 years has it at a distinct disadvantage.

GL

[amrisharm]

My opinion is that the new replacement for the Xuv500 will not be a direct price to price replacement to the XUV500, but will be placed in a slightly higher up price category and hence the name XUV700. I see you have placed a price budget of 15 Lacs ex showroom. At the present moment the XUV500 W7 fits your budget as there is a big cash discount on the current model.

If you look at the base model of the new Tata Safari, A vehicle the New XUV700 is supposed to be competing with. Then yes it does start at 14.99 lacs. But this base model doesn't even have a music system and a very simple interiors. Even the recently launched Hyundai Alcazar which is a size below the Xuv500 and the Safari start at around 16.3 lacs.

So the option is yours. If you are strict about your budget of 15 Lacs ex showroom then there is no other value for money product that can beat the Mahindra XUV500 W7. But if you can extend your budget by about 1.5-2 lacs ex showroom (which will equate to about 2-2.6 lacs OTR) then of course go for the new XUV700.

Things to keep in mind if you decide to go for the New XUV700:
1) There could be a waiting period after launch of a few months at least (could be longer due to demand and a worldwide semiconductor shortage).
2) Looking at the spy shots of the new XUV700, it seems to be fitted with a lot of electronic gizmos which could mean niggling issues for a newly launched mahindra.
3) A highly tuned engine, and feature rich car could mean servicing costs will be much higher than the current XUV500 (maybe by about 40% at least).

Do keep us informed about what you decide. Happy car shopping

[rajshenoy]

I Suggest wait for XUV700. Reason being, you are getting a next generation car in every aspect. Only catch here is the price. But i somehow feel it will still be priced cheaper than Alcazar.

They seem to have created this new branding so that they can clear the XUV500 stock. So that can also mean, you might get a really sweet deal on XUV500 once XUV700 is out.

So in either case, you will be in a position to compare and decide. My vote for XUV700 because you keep the car for long term and stretching a bit might help in the long run.

Offtopic:
Any reason why you did not consider Harrier. Updated version seem to have sorted niggles. I liked both XUV and Harrier for the interior space as compared to Creta/Seltos which are best suited for 2+kid in rear

[abhishek46]

The new XUV700 will go head on against the Safari.

Due to this factor alone, I predict that it could be priced at around 19lakh On road Bangalore (for the entry level model).

This means, a premium of Rs 2 Lakh over the existing generation XUV500 (variant to variant).

The existing model has discount etc. running. The new model will have none.

Take these factors into consideration and decide!

[supertinu]

I think as most people have pointed out, the biggest compromise you are making is not going for AT model which will be a bitter pill to swallow in the long run. Adds stress in city driving and could be a deterrent for your wife. Also the manual transmission isnt exactly the best.

The model maybe old but Creta/Seltos cannot match the space, leg room, road presence that XUV brings and the the highlight is the engine which is one of the best in business for drivability.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by chaitanyapramod

concern about structural integrity after an incident (perhaps another post).

Requirements/wants:

• Ex-showroom price 10-15 lakhs
• Usage is a mix of commuting to work (post-unlock) and monthly weekend trips. Without a car, we have been dearly missing impromptu weekend drives out of town.
• Having driven small petrol motors, want my next car to be a torquey diesel
• Spouse prefers automatic for convenience (beginner-level driver). I prefer manuals over automatics. I see the benefit in automatics for city commutes and can bend for a good package, however don't want jerkily-shifting AMTs or rubber-banding CVTs. Would go for Torque Converter which gets high reliability rating in T-BHP.
• Planning to self-drive now with potentially a chauffeur coming on a few years down when I'm too tired to drive myself to work

Though there are no plans to sell the vehicle for the foreseeable future. Like GTO, I believe in keeping products for long to extract maximum value.

Left field choice - why not a Honda City CVT? It should satisfy all your requirements (especially key points in bold!) except it is a petrol + CVT. I'd anyday pick an amazing petrol engine over a good diesel engine. Also, if the 4th gen City is anything to go by, this CVT will be amazing (it is no DCT though) and keep owners happy for years.

I know 3 people who avoided these brands for these reasons and bought a Honda City:
1. Hyundai/Kia - safety & long-term reliability concerns
2. Tata (Harrier/Safari) - niggles & concerns about ASS
3. MG - personal beliefs
4. Mahindra (XUV 500) - too old

If you need those extra seats, a used Innova Crysta will also be a good choice.

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by chaitanyapramod

Should I take the delivery of XUV500 or look at other vehicles? Are my fears of unavailability of spares unfounded?

Newer XUV 5OO will not be available in the coming year. Parts availability does not seem to be an issue. Mahindra cars sell well even in the used car market.

What you cirtainly do not want to miss out is the ~ 1Lac cash discount announced on the XUV5OO.

Do talk with your dealer about the same before paying up.